Ounce for ounce, rainwater contains more oxygen than tap water. That's a benefit for houseplants, as it improves the respiration process and enhances nutrient absorption. The long-term result is healthier plant roots and more vigorous growth.
Rainwater is 100% soft water.
Salts and chemicals build up in your soil over time and these residues are tough on plants. This effect is exaggerated in potted plants where the accumulation is more pronounced. Rainwater can help flush these chemicals away and refresh the health of your soils.
Collected rain is usually naturally slightly acidic, so it can help flush away the build up of accumulated substances from alkali tap water deposits in your potting soil. I just set a bucket out in my yard to collect rainwater, fresh from the sky. Fresh bucket-collected rainwater is tops in purity for plant watering.
Besides being natural, rainwater is usually soft, which makes it a good option for watering your flowers and plants. Actually, the absence of those very chemicals that make tap water safe for drinking makes rainwater a better choice for your outdoor watering needs.
Filtration removes any leaves or other organic matter from the water, which is great for reducing the risk of disease carry-over and allowing you to use your harvested rainwater on your youngest plants, enabling truly sustainable gardening for all of your leafy friends.
Collecting and using rainwater can be a great way to conserve resources. Some people use rainwater for watering plants, cleaning, bathing, or drinking. However, it is important that the rainwater system is maintained properly and the water quality is appropriate for the intended use.
Distilled water is soft water without the trace amounts of sodium left by a mechanical softener. Using distilled water for indoor plants provides a safe and impurity-free source of irrigation that can prevent any toxicity from chemical or mineral buildup. It's also free of contaminants like bacteria.
A common rule of thumb is that plants need the equivalent of 1 inch of rain a week. If your gauge shows that your yard only got half an inch of rain last week, your plants probably didn't get enough moisture. A rain gauge can be a bracing corrective to our subjective impressions.
R/O Water: R/O, or reverse osmosis, is a technique that is used to remove minerals and impurities from water, such as chloramine, salts, and heavy metals. This is fine to give to plants, and some prefer it because it lacks certain minerals that can cause issues with fertilizers.
If you use tap water, you may notice that your plants are not growing as tall and strong to the best of their abilities. To reduce the risk of harmful chemicals in your water, allow your tap water to sit out for at least 24 hours before using it to water your plants. This allows the chlorine to dissipate.
While watering your yard plants with bottled water may be impractical, using bottled spring water for your indoor plants will make a big difference for them. To give your plants the absolute best, rainwater and bottled spring water are your best options. Any water containing sugar or salt will hurt them!
Plants tend to grow better with rainwater for several reasons. Rainwater is free from the chemicals often found in tap water, such as chlorine and fluoride. These chemicals can be harmful to plants in excessive amounts.
Consider testing the rainwater to ensure it does not have acid or other pollutants, depending on where you live. For example, if you live in an area with lots of air pollution, then using rainwater on plants might require some boiling first to remove any harmful pollutants before giving them to plants.
Rainwater is a better source of nitrogen for vegetation and this is why it is preferred over tap water. Both rain and tap water help supply nitrogen to soils through a process called mineralization, which occurs when soil organic nitrogen is converted into mineral nitrogen through watering.
Not every plant is aquatic, so excess rain can cause problems. Potted plants in rain are especially sensitive, even those in containers with good drainage. Different soil types, species of plant, and even the type of container will affect the outcomes when leaving potted plants in rain.
Collecting and saving rainwater for use in the garden just makes sense, and was a common practice by our ancestors. See how it's done, and start saving money on your water bill. The patter of rain on the roof can make a gardener's day. Not only is nature watering the plants, but it's providing hydration for later use.
The simplest method for harvesting rainwater is with rain barrels. Using rain barrels involves no special plumbing. They can be purchased, often through local conservation groups or from catalogs or garden centers, or you can make your own.
As a general rule, Satch says, "the amount of water to use is always about ¼ to ⅓ the pot's volume of water." And if after all that you're still confused, he has a few parting words of wisdom for you: "When in doubt, feel the soil!"
As the theory goes, soaking banana peels releases nutrients like potassium and calcium into the water, which creates an inexpensive, homemade liquid fertilizer.
“If you don't give them moisture, their leaves will dry out. If you want new foliage and growth, you need to mist them.” Many houseplants come from subtropical and tropical regions and need a “relative humidity of at least 40 percent,” according to “Reader's Digest Success With House Plants.”
Misting is good," she says. Most houseplants will thrive just fine without the use of a mister, Gillette says. Epiphytes will benefit though from a light misting every morning. "If possible, place your orchids near a vent close to an east-facing window.
The best filtration options for making rainwater potable are reverse osmosis and distillation. Mechanical filtration (via a sediment filter or Rusco spin-down system) is also integral to the success of rainwater treatment. A rainwater collection system can catch most large particulate matter, such as leaves and twigs.
Simple chlorine and iodine tablets can be placed into rainwater tanks and will not only help with algae control, but can kill both crypto and giardia making the water safe to use and able to be stored adequately.
Rainwater is not processed or treated in any way, which means it is free from chlorine, fluoride, and other substances that are often added to tap water. Tap water, on the other hand, is water that is supplied to homes, businesses, and other buildings through the public water system.